Permission (Companion Piece 20)
by Meamit
Summary: The conversation that many of you have been waiting for! Scorpius gets a bit of a shock when he arrives to ask Ron a very important question... *Conversation only, no description* This is a companion piece for Just Between Us (it fits in after Chapter 96). Please read that story first to fully understand this one!


"She's not here."

"Pardon me?"

"Rosie's not here, she's out with her mother."

"Oh. No, I know that. I – I –"

"Spit it out, Malfoy."

"I wanted to… ah, I wanted to speak to _you_, actually. Mr Weasley. Sir!"

"Me? … What for?"

"May I come in? I just – I'd rather not be standing on the porch for this."

"Alright. But I only have twenty minutes, is that enough time for you to tell me whatever it is?"

"Plenty, sir."

"Have a seat then."

"No thank you, I'm fine here. Ah… you might want to sit down though."

"Merlin. I think I can tell where this is going."

"As you know, sir, Rose and I have been dating for two years now…"

"Yes, I've picked up on that. I wonder though, are yourparents aware?"

"They know that I'm – that we're… ah, together."

"And how do they feel about that?"

"Fine…"

"Fine?"

"Well, Father thinks I'm going through a rebellious phase."

"Does he know that you are – how can I put it? – here today, to _talk_ to me?"

"Not exactly, no. In fact, I have no idea what he'd say about this… topic of conversation."

"D'you reckon it might be a good idea to find out? Before you ask me anything?"

"No."

"No?"

"He's not the easiest person to convince. He'll know I'm serious when… I mean, _if_ Rose–"

"Mal– Scorpius, sit down."

"I'm fine, really –"

"Sit down. Here, drink this while you're at it."

"What is it…?"

"Tea!"

"Ah. Well sir, I came here today –"

"Hold on a minute. We need to get a few facts straight before you start talking about… that sort of thing. Look, I'm sure you've noticed that Rosie's mother and I have some strict rules about this dating business."

"Are you referring to the fact that we're not allowed to have connecting fireplaces? Because that's not overly strict, Mr Weasley, especially given Mrs Weasley's occupation."

"I'm glad you appreciate that –"

"I do. And of course I understand why you have rules against her visiting my house, but I hope you know that I wouldn't _dream_ of putting her in a position where her reputation might be –"

"Whoa, hang on there! The situation is a bit more complicated than you realise, Scorpius. If you're about to ask me… er, what I _think_ you are, then you need to hear this first."

"More complicated? What do you mean?"

"What have your parents told you about the war?"

"The war? They don't talk about it. At least, not with me. I've read the books, naturally. I know that my grandparents… Well, I know that they made some mistakes, but –"

"Mistakes! Is that what they're called now?"

"Mr Weasley – with respect – I'm not my grandfather."

"I didn't say you were. In fact, you're probably every bit as upstanding as Rosie claims you are, but that doesn't change history. And our families have a long history."

"Because they were on opposite sides of the war?"

"Yes, but more specifically, because during the war, my wife was tortured by your great-aunt on the living room floor of Malfoy Manor – while your father and grandparents looked on."

"… _What?"_

"Haven't you noticed the scar on her arm before? She doesn't hide it."

"The…? But – _No._ No, I would've –! … _What?!"_

"Come back and sit down, Scorpius. Look, I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty. I'm telling you this because it's had a lasting effect on my family and it will affect your relationship with Rosie too."

"But you're saying my father saw…? He _watched_ –?"

"I'm sure he didn't enjoy witnessing it. He was young. It's hard for anyone to resist their upbringing and your father was raised to champion the Pureblood ideology, wasn't he?"

"I – I can't _believe _this…"

"Does this make it easier for you understand why I'm so protective of my daughter?"

"Mr Weasley, my father isn't like that! I mean, he talks about tradition all the time… But I've lived with him for nineteen years and he doesn't say anything against Muggle-borns, I swear he doesn't! Are you _sure –?_"

"It's one of the clearest memories I have. I couldn't forget that day if I was hit with the strongest memory charm on earth."

"… I think I'm going to be sick."

"You're alright. Drink more of that tea, come on. It's sweet, it will help."

"So that's why Rose is not allowed…?"

"Yes. I can tell you now that my wife and I will never step foot inside that building again. I have no intention of letting Rose or Hugo anywhere near it either."

"… Does she know?"

"She knows that her mother was tortured for her role in the war."

"Does she know that it was my – my…?"

"We didn't tell her _who_ was responsible for the attack."

"Why not?"

"My wife doesn't believe in tarring every member of a family with the same brush."

"And you?"

"I'm reserving judgment."

"Mr Weasley, I'll prove it to you, I'll –"

"Alright – let's not get into it again! After all, I haven't prevented Rosie from seeing you up to this point, because I have no reason to believe that you've had a negative influence on her –"

"I would _never _–"

"Yes, we've established that! _However,_ if that changes, there won't be a single place in Britain – or anywhere – that I won't find you and make you regret it."

"You can trust me, sir."

"Well, I hope so. Knowing what you know now, do you still want to go ahead with, er… what you wanted to ask me?"

"Of course _I _want to! But – sweet Salazar! – will _she?_ I can't see Rose being unaffected by this. In fact, I can't understand how you ever let me into your house in the first place…

"Believe me, I didn't understand it for a long time either!"

"So… I have your permission? To pay my addresses?"

"I suppose so."

"She mightn't even say yes now. I'll have to tell her, won't I?"

"Her mother and I can do that."

"Would you ever have told her, if we hadn't begun a relationship?"

"Probably not."

"But what if –"

"It's not that we like keeping secrets, but we wouldn't have mentioned it because… because what you said was true, Scorpius. You are _not_ your grandfather – or your father – and you don't have to atone for things that happened before you were born."

"I love Rose."

"I know."

"I don't want to hurt her and this – this _will _hurt her."

"I can't see any way around that."

"I could leave…"

"Could you?"

"… No."

"That's that, then."

"Yes, sir. Would a week be enough time for you to – to have that conversation?"

"Should be. Got something planned?"

"Sort of. There's a lot of pressure to get it right…"

"Bloody Darcy."

"I know!"


End file.
